Even the slum is a “sanctuary”

From the Alps to the Pyramids: that’s how once could paraphrase the experience of the diocesan pilgrimage society (ODP) of Lugano in Canton Ticino, active since 1975. The society was founded to continue the work previously carried out by Father Alfredo Leber, historic figure of the Church of Lugano, who was the first to dedicate himself to the pastoral care of tourism and recreational activities in the diocese. From one annual pilgrimage to Lourdes the society now organizes some twenty to various countries in Europe and beyond, from Germany to Italy, from Poland to Bulgaria, to Russia and the Baltic States, and as far afield as Latin America and South Africa, without forgetting the prime goal of every pilgrimage, the Holy Land and the Middle East. There is hardly a sanctuary that has not been visited by a journey organized by the ODP in Lugano. During its first 32 years of life, it has accompanied no less than 53,000 pilgrims to holy places throughout the world. But this “adventure” is not confined to Switzerland alone. The ODP has entered into synergy with the Italian pilgrimage agency, Brevivet in Brescia, and with the French agency Erebus, so as to offer a better quality service to its own pilgrims. This experience of religious tourism was discussed by CARLO FRANSCINI , director of ODP, in an interview with SIR, during a recent ecumenical pilgrimage to Cyprus. 20 pilgrimages promoted every year… “I should explain straight away that we are not a travel agency. Ours is a service we perform to our Church as part of the pastoral care of tourism. We are a non-profit organization and our staff are volunteers. Anyone who books a journey with us knows exactly what he will do and see”. What exactly? “First of all our destinations: Fatima, Lourdes, Santiago de Compostella, Rome, Jerusalem. Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, the Middle East as a whole and many other destinations. We have even gone so far as South Africa”. South Africa? To see what? “It’s not only a question of sight-seeing, but also of getting to know and meeting the Christian communities who live there. Many are poor and we bring them the concrete solidarity of those who are better off. Slums and shantytowns are the sanctuaries of the modern world. It’s possible to have a religious experience there: in South Africa, as in the Holy Land. The idea of pilgrimage ought not to be divorced from solidarity, or from ecumenical and interfaith encounter and dialogue. These are the real needs of the contemporary world. In our journeys, therefore, a priest is never lacking; there are moments of prayer and sharing. These meetings enlarge the experience of our faith; they strengthen it and help to reduce divisions. It is important to speak with imams, priests and pastors of other faiths and confessions. As we did during this pilgrimage to Cyprus together with Brevivet in Brescia, our Italian partner. Mutual understanding removes fear of each other; it brings us closer together”. Who are your pilgrims? “The young and the not so young, pensioners and members of the professions, students and manual workers. In recent years we have managed to take 400 youngsters up to the sanctuary of La Salette at an altitude of 1800 metres. We have conducted over 40 pilgrimages to the Holy Land with doctors, lawyers, catechists, seminarians and religious. All of them eager to discover the origins of their faith but also hungry for spirituality, as was the case when we visited Egypt, where we took a party of 15 pilgrims to get to know this huge country and its Coptic Christian communities and missionaries. The work of the Sisters in Cairo and Assuan, who care for lepers, made a deep and unforgettable impression”. The Old Continent was always rich in sanctuaries, Fatima, Lourdes and Santiago, just to mention some. Can pilgrimage still be a way of rediscovering our own Christian identity, now often suppressed in contemporary Europe? “Undoubtedly. Last year we proposed a round tour of Switzerland in the search of the Christian roots of the Swiss people. We discovered holy places and saints, such as St. Nicholas of Flue, now largely forgotten. Rediscovering them meant re-appropriating something genuine that belongs to us. Places like Jasna Gora, Lisieux, Mariazell, Assisi, and the Benedictine abbeys still speak to the heart of Europe today. Many people rediscover their faith by visiting such places”. Is there a particular journey that has remained lodged in your heart? “More than one. For instance those to Lourdes, to Fatima and to the Holy Land with the visually impaired. Their wish to ‘see’ and know is so strong that it is a wonderful witness of the beauty of faith. Seeing them touch the holy places is incredible. A lesson of life”. Any advice to those who want to become a pilgrim? “The wish to travel is not enough…”